Why is there no General Assembly/Hacker Dojo in Chicago? Is there a demand for it at all? The culture in Chicago seems totally different, would there even be a demand for that sort of thing?
Try Noble Tree, ~2600ish N Clark
Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
21–30 of 51 posts
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#22http://feefighters.com We're in the West Loop, at http://sandboxindustries.com/ . Been around for a couple of years. Raised a note a year ago and a seed round a couple of months ago. Things are going great.
Interesting...one of the few startups I've seen with quite a few MBAs on staff!
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#23It's not a startup, but there is a fantastic monthly meetup in Chicago for people who like to build stuff for the web (mainly developers/designers). Basically, a lot of awesome people go to a bar, hang out, and talk about things that we all enjoy. Check it out: http://chicago-concat.gathers.us
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#24superblock. 2006. wicker park now.
though i don't consider my company a startup, just a plain old small business.
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#25grubwithus (current YC class)
inkling markets (first YC class i believe)
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#26http://www.parkwhiz.com - We started in 2006, when it seemed like TechCocktail was the only startup community in town. Ended up bootstrapping the company, and we recently opened an office in Roscoe Village.
Recently discovered your site, freaking genius. You guys profitable these days?
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#27For those of you that have startups in Chicago, where do you normally hang out? Is there a HN meetup or something along those lines?
Lightbank and Sandbox have their own enclaves. The ITA (Illinois Technology Association) has offices, and some stuff. There is the lean startup circle. You can also out built in Chicago. Midventures also events. Entrepreneurs unpluggd seems to putting on more stuff, lately.
I'm one of the co-organizers of Entrepreneurs Unpluggd (http://www.entrepreneursunpluggd.com) and we plan on putting together events quarterly currently, if not more frequently.
Our inaugural event was Feb 8, next even is April 26, then late July after that. We really hope to create an evening for entrepreneurs to network, learn, and strengthen the ecosystem.
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#28Why is there no General Assembly/Hacker Dojo in Chicago? Is there a demand for it at all? The culture in Chicago seems totally different, would there even be a demand for that sort of thing?
to be clear, i mean a space that is heavily geared towards web based startup/technology hackers.
noble tree is a coffee shop and chicago jelly meets there, but it is not a space where you can expect to go meet random hackers
pumpingstationone is nice but last i checked it didn't appear to have a strong technology startup type vibe.
i understand that curating the "vibe" of a "hackerspace" (whatever that means) isn't an easy thing to do, but i've been INCREDIBLY IMPRESSED by general assembly and hacker dojo. pumping station one is a great space, its just not quite the same. I'd consider:
nycresistor:generalassembly::pumpingstationone:"what i'm asking for" -- basically "general hacker types" (macguyver, picking locks and being generally crafty) vs "programmer hacker mindset" (hey, i wrote a really cool thing in node.js which i learned over the last 48 redbull fueled hours).
Chicago is an amazing town and there are tons of great people for it: birthplace of RoR, cofoudners of django live there, plenty of YC startups, groupon, beyond the pedway (woot, @timjahn, calling you out -- attended your "Entrepreneurs Unpluggd" event in Feb and I think that may be the best event I've attended in Chi), grubwhub, grubwithus, i think restaurant.com, etc.
However, the tech community isn't quite as unified and its a lot harder to get in touch with likeminded folk. At hacker dojo, you could turn to almost anyone to get feedback on a web app or ask for javascript advice, which I am not aware exists in Chicago.
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#29Why is there no General Assembly/Hacker Dojo in Chicago? Is there a demand for it at all? The culture in Chicago seems totally different, would there even be a demand for that sort of thing?
I think there is.
Entrepreneurs Unpluggd was great, Tim. As far as I'm concerned, you're leading the push to put Chicago on the map as a great startup city.
Re: Ask HN: Chicago-Area Startups
#30Tap.Me - in game advertising and engagement for game developers by game developers. Funded and about to announce some killer traction. Http://tap.me/